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Just bought an 11" as a main computer. Am I crazy?
- Thread starter dontwalkhand
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It's not seeing what is on the display that is the problem, it's that the display shows less data at a time.
It is indeed a toy compared to even a 11 inch MBA.
yes you can do all your mentioned tasks on an iPad but it's nowhere as convenient,reliable or capable as the MBA.not even close.
I've tried using my iPad Air for majority of my computing,but there is just so much it cannot do.
A 11 Inch MBA is far far better option.iPad is great for web browsing and video streaming and other casual usage.that's what it is.it's not a real computer and has no real os.just an app launcher.
Im trying to decide this as well. I thought I was all about the 13 inch MBA. Coming from a 13 inch MBP...looking for something lighter and i can throw in a backpack when Im traveling for work.
But I think if I got an 11inch, Id have to get a larger display for the house...so with that money, I might as well get the 13inch...
Decisions, decisions...
But I think if I got an 11inch, Id have to get a larger display for the house...so with that money, I might as well get the 13inch...
Decisions, decisions...
I have an 11.6" MBA (2013) base model...and while I liked the res of the 13.3" MBA better the size/portability profile of the smaller unit won me over during the two week trial period!
I have other Mac's and PC's in the house if I need a larger screen
I have other Mac's and PC's in the house if I need a larger screen
And as it turns out, even adults really like toys, so I am not sure if that's as much an insult as you would like.
In one word, yes. Now, if you hook it up to an external screen and an external keyboard, you have a really good computer suited for long hours of work.
I've used my 11" MBA for a month now as main computer. Love it. I have a 19" monitor, but rarely use it.
I actually just went to the Apple store yesterday to buy a Superdrive. The 13" feels heavy, disproportionate and big. The design of the 11 feels much cleaner to me. If you have good eyes, the screen is fine. We lived with 1024x768 for years with no problems. The 11 has more pixels.
I actually just went to the Apple store yesterday to buy a Superdrive. The 13" feels heavy, disproportionate and big. The design of the 11 feels much cleaner to me. If you have good eyes, the screen is fine. We lived with 1024x768 for years with no problems. The 11 has more pixels.
All technical semantics aside, I feel the iPad and MBA are meant for different use cases.
Clearly, Handle's use case differs from yours.
While some of those use cases may overlap, each device is not meant to replace the other in an absolute sense.
You can have the power of a Mac Pro on a laptop, but if a hand-held device is better suited for what you need then all that power is pointless. They are different tools, for different jobs.
Joining the 11" club. Replacing my old 2012 version with a BTO 11" to be my main Mac. i was holding out for an updated Mac Mini but gave up.
Once upon a time I used to have a 12" Powerbook as my main system. But I had to get an external drive and monitor (24") for when I wanted to do work on it. It works for sure if your workflow allows it. Part of my job is just talking via email so I could potentially do that from my phone with a BT keyboard!
The problem with screen size is going back to smaller displays. I'm currently running a 27" iMac with a 24" secondary monitor in portrait mode, and a 55" Bravia for games and display purposes. I don't think I could go back to my 12" PB any more
The problem with screen size is going back to smaller displays. I'm currently running a 27" iMac with a 24" secondary monitor in portrait mode, and a 55" Bravia for games and display purposes. I don't think I could go back to my 12" PB any more
Thanks for posting this. It's one of the main things missing from the whole Mac experience IMHO.
A few years ago i had the "fetish" to own a basic mba 11", when my vaio dies.
I do websurfing in general, light gaming, watch/listening multimedia and some text editing.
Time passed, started to use glasses, my vaio is broken and didnt want to waste money to repair (and still dont), and i started to reuse my old desktop with 20" 1680x1050 display.
6 months passed, my eyes are not tired like before (but need glasses cause of lights in general), my neck and back are better.
Yeah, i miss some versatility with laptop, but i prefer being away from computer when i dont need and use my iPod touch when i need go consult internet (i dont have smartphone).
In future i dont know what i will choose and what i can choose, but now is the best solution i have.
My piece of advise: choose wisely what u want.
I do websurfing in general, light gaming, watch/listening multimedia and some text editing.
Time passed, started to use glasses, my vaio is broken and didnt want to waste money to repair (and still dont), and i started to reuse my old desktop with 20" 1680x1050 display.
6 months passed, my eyes are not tired like before (but need glasses cause of lights in general), my neck and back are better.
Yeah, i miss some versatility with laptop, but i prefer being away from computer when i dont need and use my iPod touch when i need go consult internet (i dont have smartphone).
In future i dont know what i will choose and what i can choose, but now is the best solution i have.
My piece of advise: choose wisely what u want.
No, it's far from a toy, as I described in detail.
This is completely and utterly false. Again, as I explained, the iPad is MUCH better for working on while standing or in my truck. It is extremely convenient, very reliable, and capable to do everything that I need.
Please stop posting nonsense.
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Exactly. My post wasn't saying that the iPad is more powerful than the MBA or that it can completely replace it. My post was simply explaining that the iPad is not a "toy". It is a a great device that I use professionally for business.
Damn 11" is too small.
I used to have up to 4 Powerbooks 12" I still have one besides me and the screen is small. I used to have a 20" Apple Display with it.
I mean, you can get used to but I was using 12", I wonder about 11". Applications need a minimum size.
Try and you may get used to it but I have a 17" MBP and I would not use anything smaller than that.
I used to have up to 4 Powerbooks 12" I still have one besides me and the screen is small. I used to have a 20" Apple Display with it.
I mean, you can get used to but I was using 12", I wonder about 11". Applications need a minimum size.
Try and you may get used to it but I have a 17" MBP and I would not use anything smaller than that.
I use a 11" MacBook Air as my only computer. Best Mac I ever had. I can bring it along everywhere because it's so small and light. Screen is adequate. I hardly use a second monitor. But when I do, I use a Belkin Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. Apple makes a very thin HDMI cable, which is great. I also use a Magic mouse. I have a Bose SoundLink mini as a speaker. It's equally small and gives good sound -- too bad it needs a special power adapter. Because the 11" doesn't have an SD card slot, I use MicroSD with a small USB adapter from Samsung for my digital camera. I use a G-Form sleeve for travel. I also have an iPad mini, but I use the MacBook more. For now, I find the iPad mini too slow in app startup time etc. I will probably upgrade it to a new one with A8 processor in due time.
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I just bought a new 13" MacBook Air, and the screen is large enough for me. Given that I have a 20" iMac at home, and I had a regular MacBook before, the screen size feels fine for me. However as a primary computer an 11.6" screen feels slightly small to me, so if I were you I may get a monitor to hook it up to when you are at home, so you don't have to strain your eyes too much.
I have a cunning plan.
I will replace my fast dying XPS 13 with an 11" Air, but I'm in no hurry so will wait to see what Apple does to upgrade/replace the current model. The cunning bit of my plan is that in order to not find the 11" screen too small I am using my Surface RT as my main work machine. Surprisingly it works quite well, Office and email are my main needs, anything more and I fire up my old G5.
I reckon that a few months working on a 10.6" screen will make 11.6" (or maybe 12 if rumours are to be believed) seem huge.
I will replace my fast dying XPS 13 with an 11" Air, but I'm in no hurry so will wait to see what Apple does to upgrade/replace the current model. The cunning bit of my plan is that in order to not find the 11" screen too small I am using my Surface RT as my main work machine. Surprisingly it works quite well, Office and email are my main needs, anything more and I fire up my old G5.
I reckon that a few months working on a 10.6" screen will make 11.6" (or maybe 12 if rumours are to be believed) seem huge.
The wife and I both have 11" MBAs as our main home computers. I have a desk with a monitor, but rarely use it unless playing an adventure game or something.
Of course, at work, I have a 27" cinema display, but I find I'm perfectly happy with the 11" MBA either in a pinch, or for day to day (non-work-intensive) tasks.
Keep in mind the 11" MBA has a favorable display resolution to the non-retina 13" MacBook Pro and 13" MacBooks. However, the retina 13" blows it out of the water.
I would not want to do my day job (ux design and front-end development) solely on a 11" air display, but otherwise I love having it around. I use it way more than I ever used my 15" retina MacBook Pro, just because I don't mind lugging it around.
Of course, at work, I have a 27" cinema display, but I find I'm perfectly happy with the 11" MBA either in a pinch, or for day to day (non-work-intensive) tasks.
Keep in mind the 11" MBA has a favorable display resolution to the non-retina 13" MacBook Pro and 13" MacBooks. However, the retina 13" blows it out of the water.
I would not want to do my day job (ux design and front-end development) solely on a 11" air display, but otherwise I love having it around. I use it way more than I ever used my 15" retina MacBook Pro, just because I don't mind lugging it around.
I used my Surface RT and 2 as a netbook of sorts. I traded my Surface 2 in and replaced it with an 11" Air. If you can "make do" with the Surface RT then (if my experience is any indication) you will be absolutely delighted with the 11" Air.
This is my thinking, although I'm going to wait to see what Apple does next with the Airs. I'm not in a hurry. I even use my RT for writing large documents, using the touch cover. An 11" Air is gong to be a huge step up.
Well, I'm about to find out if my new 11" MBA can replace my 13" '09 Macbook. I've been browsing and doing a lot of stuff on my 11" Google Chromebook, and the MBA's screen is 1000X better to look at.
So far, after a day, I seem to be no worse for wear. I've take the advice in this thread and activated full screen mode for all of my apps, and just gesture swipe between them. This seems to work really well and allows me to gain back the missing screen real estate that the dock takes up.
I do have a thunderbolt adapter for a larger monitor to dock in to, if all else fails.
So far, after a day, I seem to be no worse for wear. I've take the advice in this thread and activated full screen mode for all of my apps, and just gesture swipe between them. This seems to work really well and allows me to gain back the missing screen real estate that the dock takes up.
I do have a thunderbolt adapter for a larger monitor to dock in to, if all else fails.
I'm not sure if you know about this or not, but you can set the Dock to minimize itself. When you need it, just move your mouse to the bottom of the page and it scrolls up on top of the current window.
I use that setting even for my big 24" iMac, there's no reason to waste screen real estate to show the Dock at all times.
In addition to hiding the Dock, on my 13" MBA I will make some apps fullscreen. Other apps, like Chrome that I am using right now, don't really need it.
I use that setting even for my big 24" iMac, there's no reason to waste screen real estate to show the Dock at all times.
In addition to hiding the Dock, on my 13" MBA I will make some apps fullscreen. Other apps, like Chrome that I am using right now, don't really need it.